


Band Played On, The

by westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist



Category: The West Wing
Genre: F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-03-13
Updated: 2005-03-13
Packaged: 2019-05-15 14:33:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,327
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14792315
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist/pseuds/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist
Summary: "Why don't you change partners and then/ You may never want to change partners again"





	Band Played On, The

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

**The Band Played On**

**by:** Dani Beth

**Character(s):** CJ Cregg, Sam Seaborn  
**Pairing(s):** Sam & CJ  
**Category(s):** Romance  
**Rating:** Teen  
**Summary:** "Why don't you change partners and then/ You may never want to change partners again"  


>   
>  __
> 
> Must you dance every dance  
>  With the same fortunate man  
>  You have danced with him since the music began  
>  Why don't you change partners and dance with me 
> 
> Must you stand quite so close  
>  With your lips touching his face  
>  Can't you see I'm longing to be in his place  
>  Why don't you change partners and dance with me 
> 
> Ask him to sit this one out  
>  And while you're alone  
>  I'll tell the waiter to tell him  
>  He's wanted on the telephone 
> 
> You've been locked in his arms  
>  Ever since heaven knows when  
>  Why don't you change partners and then  
>  You may never want to change partners again 

~*~ 

Have you ever walked into a store, saw something that you absolutely had to have and then saw the price tag? The price may have been high, but then you decided that you were going to save up to buy it, no matter what. Some time later you walk back into the store and then you see that it's gone. Whatever you wanted is now gone and you see the person is there at the same time, buying the something. 

All right, what I want isn't a material thing, but a person. A beautiful, classy, powerful person. And I was a dumbass and let her get away. 

Well, I didn't *let* her get away. I'm not even sure what that means, but hey... 

And here I am, looking across the room, seeing her in the arms of another man and I'm feeling a tightening around my chest and a sickness in my stomach that won't let go. 

~*~ 

I know he's watching me. It's...flattering. And I wish he'd come over here, strike up a conversation; just something to get me away from this guy. 

Smiling and nodding, a thing that I've been doing since I've met him, I nibble my lower lip and look back at my admirer. 

Oh dear. He's talking with Ainsley. Um...maybe that's a *good* thing. He did look bored. 

A nudge awakens me from my mind and I shake another person's hand, listen to them drone on and then sigh softly as they walk away. 

Looking back at him, I feel jealously eat at me. 

Great, now he's *dancing* with her. 

~*~ 

Through a break in the crowd, I see her duck away from my stare and then back at me. She does a little wiggle with her fingers and I wave back with a slight smile. 

Ainsley tugs at my jacket and beckons me to follow her to a couple on the other side of the room when a familiar big band tune started up. A low tenor sax played on and I looked back, seeing her on the dance floor with her date, smiling and her head on his shoulder. 

Good thing he's as tall as he is. 

Kicking myself mentally, I excuse myself from the other three and go to the bar. I may be in a room full of politicians, but the bartender can't make drinks worth a damn. 

Sitting on a stool, twirling my straw in my terribly watered down drink, I look over my shoulder to the woman that's been the center of my thoughts all night. 

~*~ 

*Damn* it! Why is it that I can't go over there and just talk to the man? 

I mean, I'm not scared, am I? No, of course not. He's a friend. A very...good friend. 

Cringing, I feel myself being spinned and grin half-heartedly. Why oh why? 

Putting my head on his shoulder again, I watch the happy couples dance around us. I know then that I'm not happy in this man's arms. I can't be. 

Not if I'm thinking about being in another's embrace. 

~*~ 

They left. 

The room. 

Into the hallway. She led the way and he followed, a hungry look in his eyes. 

I'm not exactly *thrilled* with that look. 

Wading up the napkin, I squeeze it, my knuckles turning white and my nails digging into my skin. 

I must have drifted, 'cause I jump when a light finger tapped me on my shoulder. 

Spinning in the stool, I just stare. "C.J." 

Smiling weakly, she clears her throat. "Hey Sam." 

~*~ 

'Hey Sam?' What the hell was that? 'Hey Sam?' I'm the fricken' Press Secretary to the President of the United States and I can only come up with those two words. Right. Great. 

Oh well, all he could get out was 'C.J.' and he's a speech writer. 

Pointing to the open seat next to him, I wonder, "Can I sit down?" 

"Yeah, yeah," he nods, motioning for me to sit. Taking my purse, he sets it down on the bar and smiled wanly at me. "Saw you dancing with MacGregor." 

"Uh-hmm." Nodding, I take a sip of my drink. Making a face at the watery taste, I put it back down. "God, they can't make drinks worth a damn." 

~*~ 

"So," I start. "You and MacGregor are a thing now, huh?" 

She laughs and shakes her head. "Oh, good God no!" 

Shocked, I blink and say, "Oh." 

"You're surprised at that?" she wonders, head cocked. 

"Kinda." 

"Don't know why, we weren't exactly the best couple." She shruggs and rolls her eyes. "He didn't like that I was more powerful than him and I think the only reason we lasted as long as we did was that we look good in public." 

I snort and choke on my drink with a smirk. "Well, you're both photogenic." 

"Thanks." 

~*~ 

God, I'm not exactly great on the words tonight, am I? Okay, girl, get it together. He's like...what...three years younger than you? Or, is it more than that? 

Then again, Eric was five years older... 

Turning my head around, I squeeze my eyes shut and open them, seeing Eric with another woman already. Figures. 

"Sam?" 

"Yeah C.J.?" 

"Do we really have to stay here all night?" 

"I seem to remember the President saying that we only had to make an entrance." 

"Thank God." Picking up my purse, I raise an eyebrow. "Wanna go?" 

~*~ 

Thought she'd never ask. Not the party was all that bad. Okay, so the food and drinks were terrible and I couldn't get her out of my mind for the first half of the whole damned thing, but all in all, it turned out okay. 

For one, I left with her. 

She came to the party with one man and left with another. 

Me. 

And now I can't get this smug grin off my face, for she's walking along side me, her arm looped through mine and we're talking, having a great time. 

Well, I'm hope we're having a great time. 

~*~ 

This is beyond good. 

There is absolutely no words for what I am feeling right now and it's a great feeling. 

We decided on just walking. It's not as late as I thought it was, only about nine-thirty and there's a group of people playing instruments up ahead. A small band, one sax, one guitar and one trumpet. A slow song that I don't recognize. 

But then I do. It was the song that was playing when I knew that I wasn't meant to be in Eric's arms. 

Change...Change...Damn it, I know there's another word! 

~*~ 

"Partners," I help. By the look she's giving me, I can tell she didn't know she was talking aloud. "It's 'Change Partners.'" 

"Thanks." 

"I like Harry Connick Jr.," I go on, and stop. I hate rambling. 

"So do I," she smiles. "And they were playing this back at the party." 

"They were?" 

With a nod, C.J. just smiles. 

With a sudden urge, I lean over, kiss her cheek and let my lips linger there. "Glad you changed partners, C.J." 


End file.
